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Technology & Combat Characteristics

The Arche Gundam is one of the tallest and widest Gundams ever built, standing head-and-shoulders over the majority of other models. Arche Gundam was tuned specifically to Ali al-Saachez's preference for close quarter combat, its only ranged weapon is designed for support. It uses four eyes as its camera which evokes its GN-X lineage.[3] Its tall, lanky appearance belies its enormous agility and combat capabilities in melee combat. The Arche Gundam's armaments and design was carried over from GNW-002 Gundam Throne Zwei. The unit features a pair of foot mounted GN Beam Sabers, a GN Shield and a GN Buster Sword. Both the GN Buster Sword and GN Shield are docked on the arms of Arche Gundam and the former can quickly slide forward into Arche's grasp. The sword itself secretly doubles as a GN Beam Rifle, which can be deployed by transforming and revealing the gun within the midsection of the sword; it was a rarely used feature. The GN Shield also possessed the ability to deploy a beam shield by unfolding the red parts.[1]

In close-quarters combat, Arche Gundam is capable of using its foot sabers and Buster Sword to hold its own against multiple opponents at once. The long slender arms give Arche Gundam greater reach against targets in melee combat. The unit also possesses a Core Fighter that can function as an escape unit in emergency situations. Against difficult foes, the Arche Gundam can deploy a total of ten GN Fangs from the Fang containers on its hips. The GN Fangs possess a small GN beam emitter that can either be used as a small beam gun or beam dagger. The GN fangs are not particularly powerful weapons, only able to inflict light damage against an enemy mobile suit, however they are quite dangerous en-mass. The true purpose of the fangs is to use their small size, speed, and numbers to overwhelm enemies, leaving them open to the Arche's swords. The Arche Gundam doesn't have the Trans-Am system, the Innovators never enhanced the unit beyond its original design.

Armaments

GN Beam Saber

Two beam sabers are concealed inside the toe portion of the Arche's feet, they allow Ali to engage multiple opponents in close combat simultaneously. While the beam saber has a high power rating, one disadvantage is that their performance can be decreased by surrounding atmospheric conditions or methods of beam diffusion.

GN Buster Sword

An enhanced version of Zwei's GN Buster Sword. Carried under the right arm, the large weapon slides down into the Arche's hand during combat. Like the Zwei's, the Arche's GN Buster Sword is a large sword that has the traits of both physical and beam sword due to the use of GN particles. It also stores GN particles, and these particles can be released during use to increase the sword's weight and hence destructive power. Where the Arche's GN Buster Sword departs from the Zwei's is that it is longer and does not double as a shield, it is designed purely for offense and a small shield is carried separately instead. Although never shown in combat, the Buster Sword also possesses a Rifle Mode similar to GN-001 Gundam Exia's GN Sword. When activated, the sword exposes a handlebar (for stability and handling) and splits open in the middle to reveal a gun barrel.

GN Fang Container

Carrying over the signature weaponry from the Gundam Throne Zwei, Arche Gundam has two large armored side skirts that protect its legs and thighs while holding its GN Fangs. While Zwei had its container partially exposed, Arche's container is completely covered in armor plating for added protection for Arche and its Fangs. When launching the Fangs, a small opening can launch the Fangs in immediate pairs in the front and rear of the containers.

GN Fangs

Arche's GN Fangs are enhanced/improved versions of the original GN Fangs, identical in design but sporting overall higher capabilities. They are faster, highly maneuverable, and have stronger beams than the originals. Like their predecessors, the GN Fangs are equipped with a beam emitter each that can fire beam shots or emit a short beam blade.[1]

GN Shield

A small shield is mounted on the left arm of Arche Gundam, it is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. By unfolding the red parts at the sides, it can release GN Particles to form a beam shield.

Special Equipment & Features

Like the core fighter of the mobile suits used by Innovators, Arche's core fighter serves normally as the suit's backpack and as an escape unit in times of danger. It is connected to the suit's cockpit module and the head unit (as shown in Episode 15 of Season 2). It does not contain the suit's solar furnace and instead uses a GN Condenser for propulsion when detached from the suit.

Fan-Art

Notes & Trivia

The word Arche is a Greek word that can be translated as "origin". This is unusual, as the Arche Gundam is even farther removed from the original 0 Gundam than even the Reborns Gundam that was developed at a later time. However it could be a reference to the pilot who was the origin of Setsuna F. Seiei's combat abilities. A more likely translation is the German translation of "ark". This fits more nicely with the Thrones' German names as well, as its upgraded form, is the Jagd Arche Gundam ("Jagd" means "hunting" in German).

Arche Gundam appears in Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. as a DLC unit and is normally playable in later renditions. For reasons unknown, its GN particles are red like those of the older GN Drive Tau models.

In the TV aired version of Season 2 Episode 9, the Arche was erroneously showed at first to be using the same orange colored GN Particles as the other standard Season 2 Tau Drive units before suddenly changing to its red color midway through the battle against Seravee and 00 Gundam. This animation error was fixed in the home release versions. On a similar note, the High Grade 1/144 Arche Gundam kit's boxart also showcases Arche using the standard Season 2 Tau color for its emissions instead of the red color particles it had in the anime.

When used in video games, the Arche's beam is shown to be significantly stronger than that of the GN Sword, comparable in the size of the beam fired to an Ahead, but capable of rapid fire.